Dublin’s first commissioner for start-ups announced

Serial entrepreneur Niamh Bushnell has been announced as the first Dublin Commissioner for Start-ups, a position which has been funded privately though the Dublin City University Ryan Academy for Entrepreneurs.  Drawing on her extensive experience of the start-up sector, from co-founding her first company, Pan Research, in Dublin in 1996 to her recent appointment as Entrepreneur in Residence at Talent Tech Labs in Manhattan, Niamh will assume strategic responsibility for making Dublin the best place in Europe to start and grow a tech and innovative business.

The new Commissioner will work in conjunction with Dublin City Council and Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices to maximise the potential of Dublin’s existing business ecosystem which already supports a wide range of tech and innovative start-ups and acts as a base for many global tech companies.  A key responsibility in the position will be to develop international recognition of Dublin as an innovation hub where companies will start-up, scale faster and create long-term sustainable jobs and added value to the economy.

The role of Dublin Commissioner for Start-Ups was created on the recommendation of the Activating Dublin Initiative spearheaded by Dublin Chamber of Commerce and Dublin City Council.  As Commissioner, Niamh will help generate a higher level of start-up activity in the Dublin region and position Dublin as a leading global innovation and tech start-up centre.

Speaking about her new role as Start-Up Commissioner for Dublin, Niamh said,

“It’s been so exciting to see the Dublin tech scene rise up over the last few years.  We have the opportunity to build on the success to date and become one of the great start-up capitals of the world and I’m looking forward to helping us get there and stay there.”

Eoghan Stack, Chief Commercial Officer at DCU Ryan Academy for Entrepreneurs welcomed the appointment,

“DCU Ryan Academy for Entrepreneurs is delighted to facilitate the creation of this new position which will be key in the development of Dublin’s start-up environment.  Niamh will bring great drive and considerable experience to bear in this role and we look forward to supporting her as she takes up her new position.”

Owen P Keegan, Chief Executive Dublin City Council stated,

“We see the Dublin Commissioner for Start-ups as making an important contribution to the City Council’s expanded economic development role. We look forward to working closed with Niamh to improve the services and assistance we offer to start-up businesses.”

Julie Sinnamon, Chief Executive Office of Enterprise Ireland said,

“Further developing the start-up eco-system and supporting the creation and quality of High Potential Start-up Companies is core to Enterprise Ireland’s Strategy and the Action Plan for Jobs. I would like to congratulate Niamh on her appointment and Enterprise Ireland looks forward to working with her in her new role”.